 "ENG vs AFG")
In the eighth match of the Champions Trophy 2025, Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi won the toss and elected to bat first against England at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on February 26.
This is a must-win game for both teams. England, having lost their opening match to Australia, currently sits third in the Group B standings. Meanwhile, Afghanistan is at the bottom of the table after suffering a defeat to South Africa. With Australia and South Africa sitting on 3 points each after their clash being called off, the stakes are even higher for the Afghans and the Three Lions now.
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A loss in this crucial match would eliminate both teams from the tournament. As a result, both England and Afghanistan will be determined to secure a win to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
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ENG vs AFG: Pitch report of Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore
Cricket fans can brace for another high-scoring thriller in Lahore, but they may have to keep an eye on the skies. With a 51 per cent chance of rain, there is some uncertainty in the air. However, if the game proceeds uninterrupted, expect a batting paradise.
A Batter’s Dream: Hard Wicket, True Bounce, and Shorter Boundaries
The pitch is hard, with a healthy grass covering that promises true bounce, allowing the ball to come nicely onto the bat. The dimensions also favour stroke play—67 metres to the off side, 70 metres to the leg side, and 76 metres down the ground. With an average score of over 300 in the last five games, batters will be licking their lips.
Spin Struggles: A Bad Omen for Afghanistan
Unlike other Champions Trophy venues, this surface has offered the least amount of turn, a factor that does not bode well for Afghanistan’s spin-heavy attack. Their three-pronged spin unit thrives on assistance from the pitch, but with minimal turn on offer, they could be in for a tough outing.
Bowlers’ Task: Precision is Key
For bowlers, discipline will be paramount. With runs expected to flow, hitting the crucial 6-metre and 8-metre lengths will be essential. Keeping the stumps in play and forcing batters into mistakes might be the only way to contain the inevitable run-fest.
With over 700 runs scored in the England vs Australia clash, Lahore has already proven to be a run-scoring haven. If conditions remain similar, another batting spectacle is on the cards.
Lahore's Gadaffi Stadium key stats
| Record | Player/Team | Performance | Opponent | Year |
| Highest team score | Pakistan | 375/3 | Zimbabwe | 2015 |
| Lowest team score | Pakistan | 75 all out | Sri Lanka | 2009 |
| Highest individual score | Ijaz Ahmed | 139* (84) | India | 1997 |
| Best bowling figures | Lance Klusner | 6/49 | Sri Lanka | — |
| Most runs at Gaddafi Stadium (ODIs) | Shoaib Malik | 1030 runs in 22 innings | — | — |
| Most wickets at Gaddafi Stadium (ODIs) | Wasim Akram | 23 wickets in 17 matches | — | — |
Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore: Average scores and toss results in ODIs
Average first innings score 253
Matches won after batting first 35
Matches won by chasing team 33 Highest totals at Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore
| Team | Score | Overs | RR | Inns | Opposition | Ground | Result | Match Date |
| Pakistan | 375/3 | 50 | 7.5 | 1 | v Zimbabwe | Lahore | won | 26/05/15 |
| Sri Lanka | 357/9 | 50 | 7.14 | 1 | v Bangladesh | Lahore | won | 25/06/08 |
| Australia | 356/5 | 47.3 | 1 | v England | Lahore | won | 22/02/25 | |
| England | 351/8 | 50 | 1 | v Australia | Lahore | lost | 22/02/25 | |
| Pakistan | 349/4 | 49 | 7.12 | 2 | v Australia | Lahore | won | 31/03/22 |
| Australia | 348/8 | 50 | 6.96 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | lost | 31/03/22 |
| Zimbabwe | 334/5 | 50 | 6.68 | 2 | v Pakistan | Lahore | lost | 26/05/15 |
| Bangladesh | 334/5 | 50 | 6.68 | 1 | v Afghanistan | Lahore | won | 03/09/23 |
| New Zealand | 330/6 | 50 | 6.6 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 08/02/25 |
| England | 327/4 | 50 | 6.54 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 10/12/05 |
| Pakistan | 322/5 | 50 | 6.44 | 1 | v Bangladesh | Lahore | won | 08/04/08 |
| Australia | 316/4 | 48.5 | 6.47 | 2 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 10/11/98 |
| Pakistan | 315/8 | 50 | 6.3 | 1 | v Australia | Lahore | lost | 10/11/98 |
| Australia | 313/7 | 50 | 6.26 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 29/03/22 |
| South Africa | 311/9 | 50 | 6.22 | 1 | v Sri Lanka | Lahore | won | 06/11/97 |
| Sri Lanka | 309/5 | 50 | 6.18 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 24/01/09 |
| New Zealand | 308/4 | 48.4 | 6.32 | 2 | v South Africa | Lahore | won | 10/02/25 |
| Pakistan | 308/8 | 50 | 6.16 | 1 | v Bangladesh | Lahore | won | 13/04/08 |
| South Africa | 304/6 | 50 | 6.08 | 1 | v New Zealand | Lahore | lost | 10/02/25 |
| Bangladesh | 300/8 | 50 | 6 | 1 | v U.A.E. | Lahore | won | 24/06/08 |
| South Africa | 297/5 | 48.1 | 6.16 | 2 | v West Indies | Lahore | won | 03/11/97 |
| Pakistan | 297/4 | 48.5 | 6.08 | 2 | v Sri Lanka | Lahore | won | 14/10/04 |
| Pakistan | 296/9 | 50 | 5.92 | 1 | v Zimbabwe | Lahore | n/r | 31/05/15 |
| India | 294/5 | 45 | 6.53 | 2 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 21/03/04 |
| South Africa | 294/5 | 50 | 5.88 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 18/10/07 |
| West Indies | 293/8 | 50 | 5.86 | 1 | v South Africa | Lahore | lost | 03/11/97 |
| Pakistan | 293/9 | 50 | 5.86 | 1 | v India | Lahore | lost | 21/03/04 |
| India | 293/7 | 50 | 5.86 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 24/03/04 |
| Sri Lanka | 293/6 | 50 | 5.86 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | lost | 14/10/04 |
| India | 292/5 | 47.4 | 6.12 | 2 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 13/02/06 |
| Pakistan | 292/7 | 48 | 6.08 | 2 | v New Zealand | Lahore | won | 29/11/03 |
| New Zealand | 291/5 | 50 | 5.82 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | lost | 29/11/03 |
| Sri Lanka | 291/8 | 50 | 5.82 | 1 | v Afghanistan | Lahore | won | 05/09/23 |
| Sri Lanka | 290/9 | 50 | 5.8 | 1 | v U.A.E. | Lahore | won | 26/06/08 |
| Afghanistan | 289 | 37.4 | 7.67 | 2 | v Sri Lanka | Lahore | lost | 05/09/23 |
| Pakistan | 288/8 | 50 | 5.76 | 1 | v India | Lahore | lost | 13/02/06 |
| Sri Lanka | 287/7 | 50 | 5.74 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 16/10/04 |
| Pakistan | 285 | 46.5 | 6.08 | 2 | v England | Lahore | lost | 10/12/05 |
| Bangladesh | 285/7 | 50 | 5.7 | 2 | v Pakistan | Lahore | lost | 13/04/08 |
| Sri Lanka | 281/2 | 40 | 7.02 | 2 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 05/11/97 |
| Pakistan | 281/5 | 50 | 5.62 | 1 | v New Zealand | Lahore | won | 06/03/96 |
| Pakistan | 281/6 | 50 | 5.62 | 1 | v New Zealand | Lahore | won | 01/12/03 |
| Pakistan | 280 | 49.4 | 5.63 | 1 | v Sri Lanka | Lahore | lost | 05/11/97 |
| Pakistan | 278/5 | 50 | 5.56 | 1 | v New Zealand | Lahore | won | 27/04/02 |
| Pakistan | 277/6 | 50 | 5.54 | 1 | v South Africa | Lahore | won | 03/10/03 |
| South Africa | 271 | 48 | 5.64 | 1 | v Pakistan | Lahore | won | 02/11/97 |
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